[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 324 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 324
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out
activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 9, 2023
Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out
activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent
Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act'' or the ``STOP Neglected Diseases of
Poverty Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) Neglected diseases of poverty, many of which are also
known as ``neglected tropical diseases'', are a group of
diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations
living in extreme poverty.
(2) More than 1,000,000,000 people worldwide are affected
by neglected diseases of poverty.
(3) Neglected diseases of poverty can be transmitted--
(A) through contaminated food, water, and soil;
(B) through parasites, insects, blood transfusion,
and organ transplant; and
(C) in some cases, congenitally.
(4) Neglected diseases of poverty have a high rate of
morbidity and mortality and can lead to health complications
such as heart disease, epilepsy, asthma, blindness,
developmental delays, stillbirth, low birthweight, and
gastrointestinal disorders.
(5) Some neglected diseases of poverty can be asymptomatic
at the outset, but debilitating, dangerous, and deadly symptoms
can emerge over time or under certain conditions, such as
pregnancy. It is estimated that millions of people are living
with these diseases and are not aware that they are infected.
(6) For tens of thousands of individuals, diseases of
poverty that are chronic and neglected can manifest into severe
illness later in life.
(7) Neglected diseases of poverty place a significant
financial burden on affected individuals and communities due to
the health care costs associated with these diseases and
because these diseases limit individuals' productivity and
ability to be active contributors to their communities. This
burden could largely be prevented through early screening and
treatment, which are highly cost effective.
(8) Since its inception in 2006, the Neglected Tropical
Diseases Program at the United States Agency for International
Development and its partners, including the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, have delivered more than 2,800,000,000
treatments to more than 1,400,000,000 people.
(9) Due to the support provided by the United States Agency
for International Development and its partners, 315,000,000
people live in regions where they are no longer at risk of
contracting lymphatic filariasis, and 67,000,000 people live in
regions where they are no longer at risk of contracting
trachoma.
(10) Although the exact prevalence and burden of these
diseases in the United States is unknown because of stigma and
limited reporting, surveillance, and awareness, one study
estimates that there are 12,000,000 individuals living with at
least one neglected disease of poverty throughout the country.
These diseases disproportionately affect racial and ethnic
minorities living in poverty and in regions where water quality
and sanitation are substandard.
(11) The major neglected diseases of poverty in the United
States that predominantly occur among those living in poverty
are the following: toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease,
toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm infection, and Dengue
Fever and related arbovirus infections.
(12) There is a lack of diagnostic and treatment programs,
including for early diagnosis and treatment, for neglected
diseases of poverty. These programs would be highly cost
effective and would significantly reduce the burden of
morbidity and mortality of these diseases.
(13) Funding for research, preventive strategies, vaccines
and the development of treatments, diagnostic tests, and other
therapeutics for neglected diseases of poverty in the United
States is limited.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that there is a need to study the
prevalence and incidence of neglected diseases of poverty in the United
States, identify preventive methods to combat neglected diseases of
poverty, conduct research that will lead to more treatments and
diagnostic tests for neglected diseases of poverty, and supply health
care providers, public health professionals, and affected individuals
and communities with educational resources on neglected diseases of
poverty.
SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY.
In this Act, the term ``neglected diseases of poverty'' has the
meaning given such term in section 399OO(e) of the Public Health
Service Act, as added by section 5.
SEC. 5. PROGRAMS RELATING TO NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY.
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``PART W--PROGRAMS RELATING TO NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN THE
UNITED STATES
``SEC. 399OO. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY
IN THE UNITED STATES.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent Neglected Diseases
of Poverty Act, the Secretary shall establish an Interagency Task Force
on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United States to provide advice
and recommendations to the Secretary and Congress to prevent, diagnose,
and treat neglected diseases of poverty in the United States.
``(b) Members.--The task force shall be comprised of
representatives of--
``(1) the Department of Health and Human Services,
including the Assistant Secretary for Health and
representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Health
Resources and Services Administration, the National Institutes
of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development
Authority;
``(2) the Department of State;
``(3) the United States Agency for International
Development;
``(4) the Department of Agriculture;
``(5) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
``(6) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
``(7) any other Federal agency that has jurisdiction over,
or is affected by, neglected diseases of poverty policies and
projects, as determined by the Secretary.
``(c) Initial Report.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of the Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent
Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act, the task force shall submit
a report to the Secretary based on a review of relevant
literature to identify gaps in efforts, and guide future
efforts, to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States, particularly toxocariasis,
cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis,
hookworm infection, and Dengue Fever and related arbovirus
infections. The report shall include a summary of findings with
respect to--
``(A) estimated prevalence of neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States;
``(B) geographic distribution and major
distribution routes of neglected diseases of poverty in
the United States;
``(C) disparities with respect to the burden of
neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(D) risk factors for neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States;
``(E) existing tools for surveillance, prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States;
``(F) current patient pathways and barriers to
access information and tools for surveillance,
prevention, testing, diagnosis, and treatment of
neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(G) comorbidities associated with neglected
diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(H) awareness among health care providers and
public health professionals regarding neglected
diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(I) public awareness of neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States, particularly among high-
risk groups;
``(J) the economic burden of neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States; and
``(K) strategies and lessons learned from the
United States Agency for International Development
Neglected Tropical Diseases Program, particularly those
that are most applicable to efforts to prevent,
diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of poverty in
the United States.
``(2) Consultation.--In developing the initial report under
paragraph (1), the task force shall consult with appropriate
external parties, including States, local communities,
scientists, researchers, health care providers, individuals
diagnosed with a neglected disease of poverty, public health
professionals, and national and international nongovermental
organizations.
``(d) Duties.--The task force shall--
``(1) review and evaluate the current actions and future
plans of each applicable agency represented on the task force
as described in subsection (b) to prevent, diagnose, and treat
neglected diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(2) identify current and potential areas of partnership
and coordination between Federal agencies and develop a unified
implementation plan to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected
diseases of poverty in the United States;
``(3) make efforts to apply applicable strategies and
lessons learned from the United States Agency for International
Development Neglected Tropical Diseases Program when developing
the implementation plan under paragraph (2);
``(4) establish specific goals within and across Federal
agencies to prevent, diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of
poverty in the United States, including metrics to assess
progress towards reaching those goals;
``(5) coordinate plans to communicate research and relevant
accomplishments across Federal agencies and with States and
local communities relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of neglected diseases of poverty;
``(6) develop consensus guidelines for health care
providers and public health professionals for the prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas
disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm infection,
Dengue Fever and related arbovirus infections, and other
neglected diseases of poverty;
``(7) biannually make recommendations to Congress on
strategies for the development of affordable tools to prevent,
diagnose, and treat neglected diseases of poverty, including
drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines; and
``(8) in developing the guidelines and recommendations
under paragraphs (6) and (7), consult with external parties,
including States, local communities, scientists, researchers,
health care providers and public health professionals, national
and international nongovernmental organizations, and centers of
excellence with expertise in neglected diseases of poverty,
including the centers of excellence described in section 399OO-
5.
``(e) Definition of Neglected Diseases of Poverty.--In this part,
the term `neglected diseases of poverty'--
``(1) means chronic and disabling diseases that are caused
by parasites, bacteria, and other pathogens and that primarily
impact people living in extreme poverty; and
``(2) includes the following:
``(A) Chagas disease.
``(B) Cysticercosis.
``(C) Toxocariasis.
``(D) Toxoplasmosis.
``(E) Trichomoniasis.
``(F) Hookworm infection.
``(G) Dengue Fever and related arbovirus
infections.
``(H) Other neglected tropical diseases, including
those defined by the World Health Organization, such as
the following:
``(i) Buruli ulcer.
``(ii) Chikungunya.
``(iii) Dracunculiasis.
``(iv) Echinococcosis.
``(v) Foodborne trematodiases.
``(vi) Human African trypanosomiasis.
``(vii) Leishmaniases.
``(viii) Leprosy.
``(ix) Lymphatic filariasis.
``(x) Mycetoma.
``(xi) Onchocerciasis.
``(xii) Rabies.
``(xiii) Schistosomiasis.
``(xiv) Soil-transmitted helminthiases.
``(xv) Taeniasis and neurocysticercosis.
``(xvi) Trachoma.
``(xvii) Yaws.
``SEC. 399OO-1. SURVEILLANCE REGARDING NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN
THE UNITED STATES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants to
States to carry out activities relating to implementing a surveillance
system to determine the prevalence, incidence, and distribution of
neglected diseases of poverty, particularly those that most impact
individuals in the United States, including toxocariasis,
cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, hookworm
infection, and Dengue Fever and related arbovirus infections.
``(b) Considerations.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall use the findings in the initial report of the
Interagency Task Force on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United
States under section 399OO(c) to identify and prioritize geographic
locations and communities that have the highest estimated prevalence
of, or have populations at greatest risk of acquiring, neglected
diseases of poverty, particularly those described in subsection (a).
``SEC. 399OO-2. SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AT RISK FOR NEGLECTED DISEASES
OF POVERTY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants or
cooperative agreements to Federally qualified health centers to
implement and analyze the guidelines developed under section
399OO(d)(6).
``(b) Initial Awards.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) using the findings in the initial report of the
Interagency Task Force on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the
United States under section 399OO(c), identify the geographic
locations in the United States that have the highest estimated
prevalence of, or have populations at greatest risk of
acquiring, neglected diseases of poverty, particularly those
that most impact individuals in the United States, including
toxocariasis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis,
trichomoniasis, hookworm infection, and Dengue Fever and
related arbovirus infections; and
``(2) prioritize Federally qualified health centers located
in such geographic locations in awarding initial grants or
cooperative agreements under subsection (a).
``(c) Definition of Federally Qualified Health Center.--In this
section, the term `Federally qualified health center' has the meaning
given the term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act.
``SEC. 399OO-3. EDUCATION OF MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONNEL AND
THE PUBLIC REGARDING NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY IN THE
UNITED STATES.
``The Secretary shall consult with the Assistant Secretary for
Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, professional organizations and societies, and such
other public health officials as may be necessary, including the
centers of excellence described in section 399OO-5, to--
``(1) develop and implement educational programs to
increase the awareness of health care providers and public
health professionals with respect to the risk factors, signs,
and symptoms of neglected diseases of poverty and strategies to
prevent, diagnose, and treat such diseases; and
``(2) develop and implement educational programs to
increase the awareness of the public with respect to the risk
factors, signs, and symptoms of neglected diseases of poverty
and strategies to prevent such diseases.
``SEC. 399OO-4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DRUGS, VACCINES, AND
DIAGNOSTICS.
``Consistent with the recommendations of the Interagency Task Force
on Neglected Diseases of Poverty in the United States established under
section 399OO, the Secretary shall, directly or through awards of
grants or cooperative agreements to public or private entities, provide
for the conduct of research, investigations, experiments,
demonstrations, and studies, including late-stage and translational
research, in the health sciences that are related to--
``(1) the development of affordable therapeutics, including
vaccines, against neglected diseases of poverty; and
``(2) the development of affordable medical point-of-care
diagnostics to detect neglected diseases of poverty.
``SEC. 399OO-5. NEGLECTED DISEASES OF POVERTY CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting jointly through the
Director of the National Institutes of Health, may enter into
cooperative agreements with, and make grants to, public or private
nonprofit entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning,
establishing, or strengthening, and providing basic operating support
for, one or more centers of excellence for research into, training in,
and development of diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment
methods for neglected diseases of poverty in the United States,
including tools to support prevention.
``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a cooperative
agreement or grant under subsection (a), an entity shall have a
demonstrated record of research on neglected diseases of poverty.
``(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure that activities
under this section are coordinated with similar activities of the
Federal Government relating to neglected diseases of poverty, including
the task force established under section 399OO.
``(d) Use of Funds.--A cooperative agreement or grant awarded under
subsection (a) may be used for--
``(1) staffing, administrative, and other basic operating
costs, including such patient care costs as are required for
research;
``(2) clinical training, including training for allied
health professionals, continuing education for health
professionals and allied health professions personnel, and
information programs for the public with respect to neglected
diseases of poverty;
``(3) research and development programs, including the end-
to-end research and development of new treatments, diagnostics,
and vaccines;
``(4) epidemiological surveillance and transmission studies
capabilities; and
``(5) health education programs to raise awareness and
reduce stigma of neglected diseases of poverty among high-risk
populations.
``(e) Period of Support; Additional Periods.--
``(1) In general.--A cooperative agreement or grant under
this section may be provided for a period of not more than 5
years.
``(2) Extensions.--The period specified in paragraph (1)
may be extended by the Secretary for additional periods of not
more than 5 years if--
``(A) the operations of the center of excellence
involved have been reviewed by an appropriate technical
and scientific peer review group; and
``(B) such group has recommended to the Secretary
that such period be extended.
``SEC. 399OO-6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``To carry out this part, there are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year
thereafter.''.
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